Shloka 5

Arjuna–Gaṇa Saṃvāda: Bāṇādhikāra, Tāpasa-veṣa, and the Ethics of Tapas (अर्जुन-गणसंवादः)

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तस्तेन भिल्लस्य गणेन मुनिसत्तमः । सोर्जुनः शंकरं स्मृत्वा वचनं च तमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

ityuktastena bhillasya gaṇena munisattamaḥ | sorjunaḥ śaṃkaraṃ smṛtvā vacanaṃ ca tamabravīt

Translation

Thus addressed by that troop of Bhillas, Arjuna—the foremost of sages—remembered Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva, and then spoke these words to the Bhilla leader.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/उद्धरणसूचक अव्यय (particle/quotative)

• उक्तः: having been addressed/said
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता) (of implied passive: ‘having been addressed’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘said/addressed’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instrumental: by him)

• भिल्लस्य: of the Bhilla (hunter)
• भिल्लस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (genitive)

• गणेन: by the group
• गणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instrumental)

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मुनिनां सत्तमः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (apposition to सः)

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of स्मृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया) (पूर्वक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having remembered’

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of अब्रवीत्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान) (addressee/recipient of speech)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Shiva (Shankara)
• Bhilla
• Gana (troop)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It highlights śiva-smaraṇa—turning the mind to Lord Śiva at a decisive moment—showing that inner refuge in Pati (Śiva) steadies the pashu (individual) amid worldly confrontation.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Arjuna’s remembering “Śaṅkara” reflects Saguna-upāsanā: devotion to Śiva as a personal Lord who can be invoked and relied upon; such remembrance is the inner counterpart of outward Linga worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is nāma-smaraṇa and mantra-japa—mentally invoking Śiva (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) before speaking or acting—cultivating composure and dharmic response.